During a recent trip to Georgia for his nephew’s college graduation, Al had an opportunity to visit the home of his sister’s brother-in-law, Tim. He and his wife recently purchased a house and invested in some upgrades. Al was excited to take a tour.
While Al and Tim were hanging out in the basement man cave, Tim’s 9-year-old daughter, Skylar, kept walking down the first three steps and peeking to see what was going on. Eventually Tim asked, “Skylar, what are you doing?” She responded, “I’m trying to see when might be a good time to sell my bracelets.” This caught Al’s attention and he said, “Come on down and let me see what you have.”
Skylar showed Al her clipboard which contained a sales brochure and order form. She also displayed her container of bracelet making materials in assorted colors. Al loved how Skylar had a price list for her products and advertised the upcharge for charms and bracelets that contained more than two colors.
Everyone can learn some valuable lessons from Skylar. She had an idea and did not talk herself out of trying. She executed and turned her idea into income. Once Skylar made her sales pitch, Al decided to purchase a bracelet for his wife. He chose green and gray since their wedding colors were seafoam green and silver. Al agreed to the upsell and purchased a heart-shaped charm as well.
Once Skylar made the sale she stated, “If you don’t have cash, I accept CashApp.” Skylar provided better customer service than most adults. She was not afraid to make a sales pitch, talk about her product, and close the sale. She also made Al’s bracelet in about two minutes while he waited.
Later that evening Al saw Skylar at a dinner party with her parents. She walked toward him and as fate would have it, he was sitting beside his wife. Skylar asked, “How did your wife like her bracelet?” This was a simple question, but very effective. Al’s wife told Skylar how much she absolutely loved her new bracelet.
Regarding your relationship with money and letting fear get in the way of progress, follow these tips:
Identify areas of opportunity – What behaviors can you begin, or do more of, which would have a positive impact on your financial future?
Make an effort – In the game of life, you will miss 100% of the shots you do not take. If living by a budget could help you save more, reduce debt, or improve your quality of life, what steps can you take to learn this important skill?
Seek wise counsel – Once you have determined a plan of action, share it with someone who excels at money management to solicit feedback. Make adjustments as necessary.
Everyone, at some point in their life, experiences fear. The problem occurs when fear causes inaction. The next time you experience fear, just remember the story of Skylar’s Super Bracelets.
